Learning Through Play with Ogalala World

Three years ago, I decided to send my daughter to a Progressive School. In my judgment as her primary caregiver, I believed that she'd learn more without the concrete structure and routine that most traditional schools offer. Any four-year-old learns best through play. And she did, with flying and sparkling rainbow colors. Now, she'll be a first grader on Monday, in the same school. She can now read a bit, has a good handwriting and is overly excited to learn. "It's fun, 'Nay", that's what she always says. In the deepest corner of my competitive heart, I want her to be on top, I want her to be best in everything. But my mommy heart pounds for something else. I just really want her to have fun and enjoy her daily life as a student. After all, my parenting goal has always been to raise a healthy and happy kid. 

So when Ogalala World invited us to attend a bloggers workshop cum playdate, I nonchalantly said yes. You see, I decided to go to blogging/media events only if it will help me enrich my life as a woman, wife and mom. And my decision was right. 

Somebody wants to join The Voice Kids Philippines!

My little girl has been singing ever since she knew what her throat and tongue and mouth can do. I think she actually learned how to hum first before she said her first word. Music runs in the family, my family. I got my love for singing from my father. He has this Rey Valera going on in his voice when he used to do some karaoke with us. As for me, I can hold a tune but I know I tend to get flat or sharp or off-key. Sometimes, I have too much of the vibrato, all depends on the song. LOL. 

My Little Popstar's 2nd Moving Up

My 5-year old tall little popstar officially ended her second school year last April 4th. Contrary to what most moms of incoming 6-year olds have experienced lately, Pia has not graduated from preschool yet. I have explained the reason why here. So this school year's Recognition Program was another Moving Up Day (MUD) for my babe. Unlike last year's MUD, the soldier dad didn't make it to the event. I was really in a somber mood when we woke up but I never made the kid felt that 'cause I want her to have a sunshiny disposition that day. I knew that it will end on a happy note still, 'cause she'd perform on stage with her classmates as community helpers. Watch the video here! True enough, aside from her excitement to see her girlfriends again after days of not being with them, I was one of the proud parents who went out of the venue. My little popstar got Music and Movement Award and an Academic Excellence in Science Merit. 

No One's to Blame, Not Even the Sharpie

Remember the hardwood dining table I bragged showed off shared with you here and here? I was so happy when my husband told me about it. I think it's the most expensive thing (and the heaviest!) inside our house. Look at what my artistic daughter did...

After Cif, toothpaste and prayers.

Not just one. Huhu, chest pain. I need CPR.

Ooh. I'm sure you were thinking: I scolded her, yelled at her and got really mad. Wrong. I wept; not too much but too painful I can't release it. It sounded shallow and materialistic but I longed for this furniture. I love food and cooking that I really, really wished to have a nice dining table to pair it with (aside from wishing to have a spacious airy kitchen with island counter). A table that would be the witness of endless chikahan over the dishes I cooked for my family.

Of OOTDs, Changes and Nutrition Month

June's almost over and my 4-year-old student currently has a love-hate relationship with her school, which by the way went through a lot of changes --- beautiful changes, fyi.  Look.

Back-to-School: First Day and Free Time

I hope I won't sound like a witch mom pushing my daughter away but really, I'm relieved that today marks my daughter's 2nd year in school. Does that mean 3 hours of me-time? 3 hours of silence and peace? Yes, maybe. But no, I found myself cleaning and fixing the house; then eventually prepared for early dinner. Actually, as I type these words, I can hear the squeaky sound of my 4-year-old Ondoy-survivor washing machine. I have separated the clothes first, earlier before we left, from whites to pastels to coloreds to pinks (we have too much of it, it has its own group). The coloreds went first as it don't require much effort. I didn't want to tire myself yet as the thunder's teasing me --- always like that, raining when I wash. Pfft. Anywayyyy, so below's my little firework's first day of back-to-school outfit. Doesn't she look so timid, fragile and very lady-like? Hah! She was everywhere, sweating and even took off her dainty headband minutes we stepped the school premises. 

Cardies from The Little Bugger, Sandals from Elle Kids, Headband from Rain Bows,

Why Smart Moms Should Have Smartphones

When you become a mother, you'll get too tied up with many house/children-related matters that there are times that your only social life is the social media. 

I have stored this topic in my mental draft folder; afraid that I might get remarks from non-smartphone owner mommies, that I might sound pa-soshal or that I'm astang mayaman. Heads up mommies, my Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini comes with a postpaid plan. I hope you already know what I mean. Hehe. So if you don't have one yet, go to a Globe, Smart or Sun store now to find a phone/phone with plan that suits your budget. ;)

image source

I decided to write this article in the goal to influence my like-minded mommy readers --- in keeping up with the latest chismis in Facebook, tweeting forever in the hope of getting a reply from a famous celebrity, liking as many photos of random people who happen to be fellow picture-takers in Instagram; and yes, getting addicted to Candy Crush --- while being a great mom to your clingy infant, terrible toddler, bossy preschooler or always bored gradeschool kid. 

She's Complex But Very Creative

I'm always honest about how LB could be such a handful. That's why I'm one proud momma when she bagged the Most Improved Award {Behavioral} during her school's Moving-Up Day. But no matter how complex a child can be, there's always something good about it --- my daughter's good in sketching. Yup, that is according to how I see it; according to a non-artist human being who grew up with artist relatives. All of them are from my father's family. Oscar Redrico, Elmo Redrico, Red Redrico of Creative Manila, Valerie Redrico, Bryan Redrico and Manuel Redrico III of Traces of War (my not-so baby brother). I don't want to sound like bragging so I'll just let you read what you can find in Google. 

We're very fortunate to have a daughter with artist genes.

Below are some of her daily doodles.

LB says: That's me with my new bow you make, Nanay! (awww)

I'll Be Blocking Cartoon Network Tonight

My little crazy preschooler's current favorite cartoon is Adventure Time. At first, I see nothing wrong with it. Its graphics were not for kids though but Sophia likes it and actually helps her with her own doodles. Today was a little different. I watched it with her intently. Yes, I do my best to be with her during all her cartoon times, so I could answer her questions in case she has. But usually, I do my domestic duties whilst she's glued on TV. (please don't judge!)

Source

So we're watching an episode where there was a destructive monster frog. It was already ridiculous for her age and gender. I mean, for me, monster visual stuff is more of a boy thing. Is that sexist? But yeah, I'm not making her stick to Barbie and everything pink-y all the time. I'm cool like that. Hell no was I tried to be cool when there was a scene of Finn having flashbacks with words in repetition. What words, you ask? 

SHY, FIRST BASE and MAKE-OUT.

Why in that series?! I was mortified.

I feel like a bad parent for putting malice in the situation. But you can't blame me. She's a four-year-old pretty girl! And I can't afford to be the one pushing her to worldly deeds. 

I am to study Sky Cable's Digibox manual. Let's block that channel tonight when she sleeps.

Share me your thoughts on this, please.

LB's First Dance Recital

Forgive the quality of the video and my nakakalokang side comments. I was gabbing with a fellow mommy whose child played the giraffe character in the Circle of Life performance of Primemont Science School's 3s and 4s class. What do you think of their performance? Cute, noh? :)

My Little Lady's Moving-Up

I was supposed to blog about this yesterday, but I was suffering from this relentless migraine again. And my little major awardee was down with cough and colds. So I decided to sleep it all off. Now, it's a Monday and I got domestic duties still, but my body was asking for some blogging aura first. Upon checking my drafts folder, kaloka, ang dami kong pending posts! This is not good. I never had like more than five unfinished articles! Jeez.

Anyway, let's start the kwento. This is going to be a bit lengthy and flooded with photos. Please be patient.

My Little Girl Loves Me

Today is a very typical day for me and LB. Monday. School day. Woke up, fix bed, breakfast, argue, clean up mess, argue, bathe, dress up, argue, school, finally some alone time for 2 1/2 hours, back to school for the student who wants to play for extra 30 minutes, argue, went home, late lunch,argue and goes on. BUT! We spent today with less arguments. Yes, like out of 10 usual arguments we have every.single.day, we only had three. Not bad, eh? Disclosure: I am to blame for the arguments half the time. I just don't let her win, that's why. And upon realization that she's indeed growing up fast, I changed gears into how I talk to her. Yup, there's still baby-talk. I can never do that when she turns 13 already. I still smell her kili-kili if I want to (or when she wants to!). However, there's this hint of adult-ish conversation happening around at home once she starts talking. Momma, she's definitely my daughter! OA sa daldal. :D

So earlier at school, I observed how attentive she was during story time; and cheerful the next when she saw me outside waiting for her. She even blurted out a very bonggang "I'm so proud of you, Nanay!" For whatever reason she said that, I'm super thankful she did. Ooh, I'm now teary-eyed. LB's not a baby anymore. But I feel just how much she needs my care and love. That every time she's about to go home, she's excited to see me! Kahit madalas kaming mag-away, she clings to me like a koala bear does to a Mongol pencil (Haha! so 90s).

The Little Popstar as Lenka

I was tinkering on my phone as I still can't go to sleep earlier at around 5 in the morning (yes, insomnia nga), when I saw LB's videos again. Lakas maka-nostalgia nung super baby face pa siya. Nagsesenti kasi ako mga muthers. So I thought of posting videos of her here making birit a la popstar. Feeling ko may future siya sa singing eh. Tsaka sa acting, painting, politics, modeling at ribbon-cutting. Multi-slashie ang peg ng bagets.  So here's one of my ultimate favorites --- Lenka's The Show. Provided below the video clip (and the jump break) is the lyrics, in case you want to sing along with her. Enjoy! ♥

P.S. She went a little crazy at the latter part of the vid. No, she's not going Britney or Gaga. :p

Sophia's 1st Assessment: Good in Manipulatives

She spent her 1st day in the drawing board.

Whenever my Little Bebeng (LB) brings home her assignment notebook, it causes me panic as to what her teacher had written there. Well, she was scheduled to have her first assessment last August 17th. I thought it was something else. I'm scared to see that I'm being called for juvenile delinquency! Haha. Nah, she's too young for that. And I will tell her father dearest to be present for that event in case it happens. Just so he'll feel what his parents felt when we were in highschool. Oh, maybe I will accompany him and bring a first-aid kit. I don't want him to get sick and suffer from hypertension. Yes, a stretcher or stand-by ambulance might help, too. Okay, I'm exaggerating things. Sophia is a good girl. Well, she has these attacks I would like to call "wriggler attack" that definitely resemble to the movement of a wriggler. In Filipino, a kiti-kiti. She has tendencies to be all over the place. Some says it's a good sign of being healthy as opposed to a kid, lame & sitting in one corner, very close to be a wallflower. But sometimes, LB was beyond being active.

During LB's first day in school, she was all giggling & smiling. She didn't do all the tasks that she was supposed to do but I'm relieved that she didn't do anything offensive. Her 2nd day was different, she refused to join in the circle, where they were all singing and dancing, and chose to play with puzzles. She wailed like a baby cow prepped for slaughter house until it was time for snacks. She wanted to eat her baon right away without doing their routine. Her teacher's rule: you can't eat until you pray. And like a mother hen worried for my favorite chick, I asked her teacher if I can help her. Teacher said yes, but only if she will pray. So the rest of her classmates were half way through their food when she finally prayed with her teacher that goes along like this, "Aming Diyos, Salamat Sa'Yo, sa mga pagkaing ito, Amen." LB's face lit up when I entered their classroom to help her with her food. But I left her the moment I saw she can do it by herself. It has always been my motherhood mantra to teach her to be independent. Since then, it was a much easier life for the two of us. Their school director was right. She tends to run over the lives of the adults around her. She thought that she can do things as she pleases because once she throws tantrums, us, the adults around her easily give in. I slightly blame myself for not educating her nanny then. And well, MIL said she didn't want to go through all the nag & sermon so she lets LB does her things. As the mother of the kid-on-jury, I must do everything to make it right. Even if it made my heart bled so many times, I never gave in. So far, so good. Well, there were occasional bouts of arguments, but that's how a normal mother-daughter relationship should be. I think it's healthy. It can't be goo-goo and gah-gah all the time, you know.